Stars: Palpatine-Shmi
by G12G4
Summary: Stars is not a full-fledged fanfiction story but rather a plot summary exploring the idea that Palpatine is Anakin's true father. If you find the story intriguing feel free to either flesh out the summary or use the idea with another plot. I wish I had more time to attend to it but I'm in the middle of a Victorian James Bond fanfic and an MLP one and I really don't have the time.


A galactic ship arrives on the desert planet of Tatooine kicking up dust as it lands. As the dust settles a diplomatic envoy leaves the ship, sent by wish of the Galactic Alliance to attempt to negotiate a treaty between the Galactic Alliance and the Hutts. Among them, a young Senator, Sheev Palpatine, surveys the desert surroundings with a sense of growing distaste. He is not a young man, streaks of white pepper his blond hair already. They are met by the Hutt's majordomo who takes them on a tour of the city of Mos Espa on their way to the palace. While the other diplomats attempt to appear complimentary of the town, Palpatine cannot help but feel disdain for these people and their primitive settlements. As they walk through the marketplace he is disgusted by the filth, poverty, and disorder - it is less a marketplace than a junk market filled with smugglers, petty criminals, and all manner of the dregs of society. Then something catches his eye. A young woman, long dark hair lying in a braid down her back, separated from him by only a row of vendor's tables. She seems to be purchasing some fruit from a vendor on the other side of the row, her face obscured from him. She turns from her task and, just by chance her lovely brown eyes meet his. She seems to smile, but turns and goes back to her tasks with renewed speed, leaving him stunned. Their guide asks his opinion of the market, but he doesn't seem to particularly hear. The guide repeats the struck Senator's name, and from his haze he manages a single word in answer: "Lovely."

Some hours later, the men are taken to a large, opulent, if somewhat shabby, building that they are told is the seasonal residence of Jabba the Hutt where they are welcome to reside while the Hutts convene their council to hear the diplomats' case. Retiring to his quarters, Palpatine contacts his master and tells him he has landed. His master emphasizes that it is imperative he establish a positive relationship with the Hutts despite the negotiations which he knows will fail. Palpatine is less pessimistic about the results of his mission but swears he will establish positive relations with them so as to ensure when the plan is finally set in motion they will be more apt to accept an alliance and support his rise to power. A knock at the door causes him to shut off the transmission. "Enter." he says. The door slowly opens, revealing the face and form of the young woman from the marketplace carrying a stack of towels. Hastily, he stands.

"Pardon me, I just..." the young woman blushes as she looks down at the towels. "I didn't mean to interrupt..."

"It... it was nothing important." he replies awkwardly.

"If you don't mind..." the young woman says as she goes to put the towels away.

"Here, let me." Palpatine makes to take the towels but accidentally grasps her arm instead. The contact sends a shock, like lightening, through them both. Without moving from their position, their eyes meet. "I saw you in the marketplace earlier."

"Yes." the woman replies still not breaking eye contact.

"Are you a servant here?" At this question her eyes break from his, staring back at the towels held by each of their hands.

"The Hutts do not employ servants." she answers tragically.

"A slave?" she nods. "It is no matter. I am only glad I had the chance to see you again."

"As am I." the young woman whispers.

"What is your name?" he asks.

"Shmi." she answers. Suddenly, she seems to reawaken, "I must go." she exclaims, "I am sorry." she abandons the towels to his hands and makes to leave but stops at the doorway. "And what should I call you?" she asks, still not turning.

"Sheev." he answers.

"Sheev." she repeats, then she is gone leaving Senator Palpatine still staring at the empty portal, transfixed.

As Palpatine prepares for the meeting he only catches the occasional glimpse of Shmi as she goes about her tasks. He and the other delegates are frustrated because, even though this meeting was arranged well in advance, the Hutts seem to have no real interest in convening the council. Many of the delegates feel this is done with the intent to show the Hutts will not be beholden to the Galactic Alliance and, after a few weeks many leave in disgust but Palpatine remains in the increasingly empty house. Finally, after a month of waiting, with no council meeting in sight (many of the Hutts have not even made arrangements to leave their home world) the final diplomat aside from Palpatine leaves, wishing him the best of luck in the endeavor. Now alone, he finds himself wandering the halls in the evenings. One night he comes upon Shmi staring out one of the tower windows.

"What are you looking at?" he asks.

"The stars." she answers, her voice conveying their hold on her.

"The stars?" he asks, standing beside her and looking out the window at those little bright pinpoints that held little mystery for him.

"It must be so remarkable to be able to fly among them. At night I dream of all the worlds I've only heard about - planets of oceans and trees where water falls from the sky, and snow! I've only ever heard of snow. I can't even begin to imagine it. And the vast cities of Corescant!"

"Then, my dear, I will take you there." he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and drawing her close to him. She looks down, dejectedly,

"Please, don't say such things."

"I promise you, I will. The Hutts care little for one slave to another, I will buy your freedom and take you to live among the stars with me. We can go anywhere you wish."

"Do you promise?" the young woman asks, leaning into his hold. He turns her to face him, looking her squarely in the eye he pronounces,

"I promise." His fingers slide to her chin and guide her into a warm kiss.

The next month seems to fly by. Shmi takes Palpatine around to show him many of the desert sights and the two fall deeply in love. In all that she is he finds the best part of himself. For the first time Senator Palpatine begins to feel the draw of the light side as he watches his love sleep in the early morning hours, the sun shining down on her from the window. He lays a hand on her stomach and senses, for the first time, the fluttering of a new heartbeat. He is startled and uses his abilities to seek deeper, now sure of his feelings. It is barely even there, but within his beloved a child is being formed. A joy he has never known before floods his heart. A son. His first son. Suddenly, the ambition of being an emperor seems to fade. But what of his master? Surely, it will not be long before he begins to feel the stirrings of the force announcing a new life. Palpatine begins using his power to shield Shmi and his child. In another month the child begins to show ever so slightly.

Finally, their pride satisfied, the Hutts arrive and Palpatine goes to address the council. Palpatine argues his case before the Hutts with a combination of vigor and humility. They express they have no intention of joining the alliance but are gratified by Palpatine's deference to them. Knowing his time to soon be ending he makes an offer to Gardulla the Hutt for Shmi, she laughs and tells him she had heard rumor of his attachment and names a price exhorbantly high, even for the Senator to pay. Stunned, he tells her he will consider the offer but, not wanting further rumors to spread, denies feeling anything for the woman beyond that she seems a capable slave.

That evening, while Shmi is about her work, Palpatine contacts his master to tell him the treaty was struck down but that he sensed a certain respect from the Hutts for his efforts and his beliefs they will support him. His master seems unconcerned with the new developments, instead he tells Palpatine he senses a change in his student. Palpatine denies it but his master is already breaking through his shield, the face of Shmi appears in his mind her features almost obscured by a blinding white light, he can feel his master seeing it as well.  
"What is this? A woman! So, she is the cause of the light within you. She is driving you from your destiny, you must rid yourself of her." he hisses. "And something else, I sense a stirring in the force." Palpatine shuts the communicator hastily. He winces in psychic pain as the Master attempts to probe his mind.

"Sheev?" a woman's voice calls. Sheev, what is it?" Shmi, rushes to his aid kneeling on the floor beside him, Palpatine manages to collect himself enough to smile.

"Only a headache, my love. I will be alright in only just a moment." he caresses her gentle face, loving eyes worriedly fixed on him. Then suddenly those eyes are empty in their stare,

"Oh, I'm sorry." she blushes with embarrassment.

"It is nothing to be sorry for, you just tripped. Let me help you up."

"No. Thank you sir, but I am fine." the slave woman quickly pardoned herself from the room. "Sorry to have disturbed you."

"Now you can never touch her." he murmurs vengefully.

Her memories of her time with Palpatine now blocked, he declines to purchase her. As his ship leaves Tatooine he stares longingly at the planet in the viewscreen, he raises a hand to his temple, wincing on contact. His memories of her and the child explode into a sea of whiteness, as though they had never existed. "Where to?" the pilot asks.

"Coruscant." his hand returns to his temple, his intense rage for his master revived, though for what reason he feels this rage he does not know. "No, wait..."

Some years later, as he awaited news from his protegee, Anakin, who had returned to his home planet of Tatooine. Some nonsense about his mother being in pain and needing his help. He had always felt a deep connection to the boy. There was a rumor he was the one who would bring balance to the force, the chosen one - born of midichlorians on that forsaken desert planet. Instinctively, he knew this to be ridiculous; that boy was no chosen one. He was powerful, perhaps even moreso than he with the right training, Palpatine mused. Normally, he would kill the boy he never cared for competition, but something prevented him - the boy could prove useful to the plan, he told himself, attempting to reconcile his attachment to the brash youth. Suddenly, from nowhere he feels a vast sense of emptiness, a tear runs down his cheek.


End file.
